Surface maintenance machines that perform a single surface maintenance or surface conditioning task are well known. Surface maintenance machines are generally directed to applications such as floor surfaces, or simply floors. The term floor, as used herein, refers to any support surface, such as, among others, floors, pavements, road surfaces, ship decks, and the like.
Commonly, floor or surface maintenance machines are constructed having a single surface conditioning appliance or system so as to only sweep, others to scrub, while still others only to polish or burnish. It is possible to construct a single surface maintenance machine to perform one or more of the aforementioned surface maintenance tasks.
One example of a multi-task floor conditioning machine is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,204,280, entitled, “Floor Cleaning & Waxing Machine,” issued to Campbell, the entire disclosure of which is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety for any and all purposes. Another is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,492,002, entitled, “Floor Cleaning Machine,” in name of inventors Waldhauser, et al., the entire disclosure of which is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety for any and all purposes. Disclosed therein is a forward sweeper assembly followed by a scrubber assembly that is followed by a squeegee assembly.
Yet, another example of a multi-task floor conditioning machine is disclosed in a PCT application having publication number WO 00/74549, published Dec. 14, 2000, entitled “Floor Cleaning Machine,” in name of inventors Thomas, et al., the entire disclosure of which is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety for any and all purposes. The machine disclosed therein performs the task of sweeping, scrubbing, and burnishing, and includes a squeegee assembly in combination with a vacuum system for removing cleaning solution from a floor subsequent to a cleaning and scrubbing operation.
As illustrated in WO 00/74549, thereshown is a single unitary walk-behind machine that is transportable across a floor. Successively attached to the machine, from front to back, are independent floor maintenance systems. At the forward section of the machine is a sweeping system. At the rearward section of the machine, near the machine steering control, is a burnishing system. In between the sweeping system and the burnishing system is a scrubbing system including forward scrubbing brushes coupled to a cleaning solution dispensing system and rearward following squeegees coupled to a liquid vacuum system for recovering expended cleaning solution.
Burnishing systems generally include a scheme for controlling the degree of burnishing applied to a floor surface depending upon the type of floor surface intended to be burnished. Burnishing systems well known in the art commonly include a driver assembly which includes a working appliance or tool such as a pad or brush affixed to a driver that is rotatably driven by a driver motor. The driver assembly of the burnishing systems of the prior art have been selectively raised and lowered by an actuator so as to achieve an intended force or pressure against a floor surface intended to be polished or burnished.
Scrubbing systems are analogous to burnishing systems, and are also well known in the art. Scrubbing systems commonly include a driver assembly including rotatable scrubber in the form of a brush, pad, or the like, and a scheme for controlling the degree of scrubbing applied to a floor surface depending upon the type of floor surface intended to be scrubbed. Too much scrubbing of course may deleteriously affect the floor surface requiring further maintenance. The scrubber driver assemblies for scrubbing systems, like burnishing systems, are well known in the art and commonly include one or more rotatable brushes driven by a driver motor affixed to a scrubber head. Scrubber heads of the prior art have been selectively raised and lowered by an actuator coupled to the driver so as to achieve an intended force or pressure of the brush against a floor surface intended to be scrubbed. Examples of the latter are taught in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,757,566; 4,769,271; 5,481,776; 5,615,437; 5,943,724; and 6,163,915, the entire disclosures of which are incorporated by reference herein in their entirety for any and all purposes.
Sweeper systems are also analogous to burnishing systems. Sweeper systems commonly include a rotatable sweeper system brush driven by a driver motor. Like burnishing and scrubbing systems, the sweeper system brush may be lowered and raised relative to a floor, which may more or less affect the floor surface.
As illustrated in the multi-task surface conditioning machine disclosed in the aforementioned publication WO 00/74549, a sweeper system is strategically located at the forward section of the machine prior to the scrubbing and burnishing systems located in the mid section, and aft section of the surface conditioning machine, respectively. This is so since it is desirable to remove any surface debris prior to a scrubbing operation. Since the sweeping system is positioned at the front of the machine, this necessitates a debris collection container or the like to be located at a position following the selected sweeper mechanism, i.e., a brush system or the like.
Locating a sweeper system at the forward section of a surface conditioning machine necessitates the consideration of surface obstacles and surface irregularities. This is so since such surface obstacles and surface irregularities may damage the sweeper system.
Locating a sweeper system at the forward section of a surface conditioning machine further necessitates consideration of machine maintenance and ease of use for emptying a debris collection container.